Darkness Made Light Far From Home
by elsiecarson
Summary: Repost after having forgotten my password and changing my pen name. This is an AU story about an already established relationship between Janeway and Chakotay and the way their crew responds.
1. Chapter 1

A Love Light in the Dark of the Delta Quadrant

As Captain Kathryn Janeway stepped onto the bridge, for the first time that day, for another encounter with the Borg, she felt in her element. The bridge was relatively quiet as she sat in her captain's chair, giving her bridge crew orders to keep them from becoming drones. Out of the corner of her eye she risked a glance at her secret boyfriend, her first officer, Commander Chakotay. A wry smile, a look of love and back to work for the Captain and Chakotay, however, because the Borg waits for no one and nothing, not even love.

"Put the cloaking device up, Tuvok. Evasive manoeuvres. Let's stay as far away from the Borg as possible. We don't want any unforeseen disasters happening." said the Captain. "Red alert, all hands to their battle stations. Seven, is there a way for you to tap into the hive mind, without alerting them to your presence, to see what they're up to?"

"Absolutely, in fact I can even tell you where the Borg aren't going to be, so we can find a safe route out of the sector." said Seven of Nine rerouting her energy through her cerebral implant.

"Great, once you have safe coordinates for passage through the sector, relay them to Tom. Tom lay in a course to get us out of this sticky situation." said Captain Janeway standing up and turning in the direction of her ready room. "Chakotay, you have the bridge." And with that Kathryn entered her ready room and sat down to update the ship's log and her personal log; but she found her mind frequently wandering to scenes with just her and Chakotay in them. Janeway sighed, leaned back in her chair and allowed herself to daydream.


	2. Can I Ask You Something?

Meanwhile, on the bridge, Chakotay was carrying out the Captain's orders. When all the orders had been accomplished Chakotay turned the bridge over to Tuvok and went to Kathryn's ready room to spend some time with her; because when you work twelve hour shifts there isn't a lot of quality relationship time to be had.

"So, where are we going on our date tonight, darling?" Chakotay asked sneaking in on Kathryn.

"Oh! Chakotay, you startled me. I didn't even hear you come in." said Kathryn jumping up and running across the room into Chakotay's outstretched arms. A tight embrace and a long passionate kiss later Kathryn and Chakotay were sitting down on the long blue-grey couch that was a fixture in the room. "As for our date I thought New York harbour at sunset would be divine, and no uniforms, we both have to dress up tonight, got it?" Kathryn asked with a cheeky smile on her face.

"Yes ma'am. For your confidential information only, something more than just a date may happen if things go well tonight." said Chakotay adding an unknown element to their evening.

"Well, then you've just gone and been sneaky, haven't you? At least tell me this, do I get flowers or is it something bigger? If this thing is bigger, a good bigger or a bad bigger?" Kathryn asked suddenly curious about their date that night. She immediately decided to dress up in her very best, very sexiest outfit. If she was going to be asked to marry Chakotay she had to look her very best for her special night. Might that include sex, Kathryn wondered, she didn't dare ask. Being intimate required spontaneity and knowing when isn't very spontaneous.

"Yes, I have been being sneaky, for good reason, however. Kathryn you get both flowers and something that's a good bigger." said Chakotay with a smile as he reached towards the Captain's hand. He looked into her blue eyes and saw love and utter devotion, the same elements Janeway saw in Chakotay's eyes. She smiled as she thought about her life with Chakotay. "What are you thinking about, Kathryn?"

"I'm thinking about how well our relationship is going and how well you know me. I know this is going to sound clichéd, but you know me better than I know myself. You know all my moods, and quirks, and you always know what I'm thinking and how to react to my moods. You're amazing, I've never been in a relationship with anyone quite like you before, Chakotay." said Kathryn cupping Chakotay's dark masculine face in her hands and giving him a kiss.

"Wow, Kathryn, I never thought I would hear you say that. Come on, I have something I need to ask you before tonight, but I can't ask you here!" Chakotay jumped up, grabbed Kathryn's hand and started running towards the door.

"Wait, Chakotay, anything you can ask me anywhere else on the ship, you can ask me here and if we run out of this room hand in hand our crew is going to be suspicious." said Kathryn getting her head on straight and returning to logical thinking.

"But, none of the things I want to give you are here, we'll have to go to my cabin." said Chakotay putting on his pleading, pouty, irresistible face.

"All right, but let's walk out of here calmly, not holding hands. I don't want this crew to be any more antsy than they already are." said Kathryn trying to contain her excitement. She knew what was going to happen.

"Agreed." said Chakotay with a smirk. "Are you coming?" he asked turning to the Captain.

"Yes, I'll be there in a minute, you go ahead. I'll be in your cabin as soon as I gather my thoughts." Kathryn said sitting on the couch, shocked at the events of the past few minutes.

"All right, darling, see you in a few minutes. I love you." said Chakotay walking onto the bridge and through the back door, to the turbo lift, to his cabin.


	3. Confusion on the Bridge

"This sure has been a weird day." said Tom Paris commenting on the assumed goings-on between certain "friendly" crew members. "The Captain's still in her ready room. Should someone go check on her and make sure she's okay? She seemed rather distant earlier."

"Are you willing to incur the Captain's wrath if she's doing something important might be the better question? So to answer your question, no, we shouldn't disturb her. She's probably mulling over some deep philosophical ideas, and if you go in there and disturb her, there may be some deep, psychological effect on both of you." said Tuvok bringing out his intellectual side.


	4. A Nervous Proposal

Meanwhile, in her ready room, Captain Kathryn Janeway was sitting with her head in her hands and her hands on her knees wondering how her life would go now. She sighed and walked to her secret closet and decided to tempt fate. Janeway put on a slinky green dress, some multi strapped sandals, and her favourite perfume. She decided to leave by the back door, so as not to arouse suspicions in her crew. She arrived at Chakotay's cabin not thirty seconds later, with her head in the clouds.

"You're late." said Chakotay not looking up from his book.

"I should have thought I was worth the wait." said Kathryn stepping out of the shadows into the light of the room.

"And you are worth the wait. Look at you; you look absolutely wonderful. Wow, that isn't even the right word; there isn't a word in any language I've yet learned that is right to describe you. Come here." said Chakotay spinning Kathryn into a hug and dipping her into a sexual kiss.

Kathryn dropped into a chair in utter delight, surprised at how well her day was going. Chakotay walked to the replicator, turned to Kathryn and said, "Would you like something to drink? Let's just relax for a while before I ask my question. It might be a little bit shocking."

"Coming from you nothing shocks me anymore. I'll have a white wine spritzer to calm my nerves, however. All your little statements are making me nervous." said Kathryn proving herself right with a nervous giggle.

"Don't be nervous, my love. It's natural that I should ask such a question, after all we've been dating for two years and our relationship has been going really well, so this is just the next step in our journey of life together. I know you're scared and I'm nervous too, but that's no reason for us to say we can't do it; we can do anything we want to do and you know that as well as I." said Chakotay trying to calm Kathryn.

"Chakotay, what a beautiful sentiment. It was so poignant and eloquent. You really know how to renew a person. By the way I was going to ask you to start this a long time ago, but I was too stubborn to admit that I cared this much for you. All my close personal friends, and family call me Katie, it's time for you to start." said Janeway taking a huge leap of faith. She'd never asked one of her boyfriends to call her Katie before; this was a new realm of commitment for her.

"Wow, Kathryn, I mean Katie, this is a huge step for us. Here's your white wine spritzer, now stay right there do not move, and if you run I will find you." said Chakotay with a devious smile. And with that he was off and in a heartbeat he was back with a bouquet of red roses, and a ring. As he knelt down in front of Katie with the ring, she began to cry. "Wow, and I haven't even asked yet. Will you Kathryn Janeway give me your hand in marriage and make me the happiest man in the galaxy?"

"Yes, I thought you'd never ask." said Katie, her face wet with tears, holding out her hand for the ring to be placed on it. Although she never thought the day would come, it came and went all too fast. "Well, are you going to put the ring on or do I have to do it myself?"

"Oh, sorry." said Chakotay slipping the cold metal ring of fate on her finger. Kathryn took Chakotay's hands in her own and pulled him to his feet. She ran her fingers down his washboard chest, slipped her arms around his waist, grabbed his butt and kissed him with all the passion she possessed.


	5. Missing in Action

As Kathryn kissed Chakotay he reached up and ran his fingers through her luxurious, red hair. He stretched her hair down her back and pulled his hands down her spine and started massaging her butt. A moan of pleasure emanated from Kathryn and that's all Chakotay needed to know it was right. Not half an hour later Chakotay and Katie were nestled in each other's arms between the crimson silk sheets that were gracefully draped on his bed.

"I didn't take you as a silk man before Chakotay. I always thought of you as a cotton-polyester type man, and crimson, that isn't a colour I saw you putting in your house, never mind in your bedroom." said Katie laying her head on Chakotay's chest.

"Well, let's just say that I love the feel of silk on my skin, it's hot, and crimson reminds me of my rank and place of work in Starfleet. As my rank and place of work changed, the colour of my, always silk sheets changed." said Chakotay putting his arm around Katie's waist.

"You know we should probably get back to the bridge. Our crew isn't stupid and they're probably suspicious since we're both away, at the same time, from the bridge. This was wonderful; it was a great morning and everything I've ever wanted in life has all come true now. I always vowed I would have a family and now I will. My mother will be so thrilled! She always wanted me to have children and now I have a chance. I had such a strong family connection that I want that for my new family. It's such a fantastic feeling to know that I'm a part of a new family. Thank you so much for making me a part of your family. It makes me feel so loved and needed." Katie let all her feelings out and said everything she needed Chakotay to know about their new extended more intimate relationship.

"We should probably go back, but not yet, we don't have to go yet. Let's just stay here for a little while and discuss what you just told me, because you just released a whole lot of emotion and many ideas. I didn't know you felt that way about many things. Yes, this was fabulous, you've made my life complete, but we haven't discussed kids or anything. You're welcome, I'm glad you're a part of my family and you've always been loved and needed, you know." said Chakotay, twirling a strand of Katie's hair.

"I know it's just been highlighted today. And as you know as well as I our crew doesn't always exactly love me all the time; they can be downright mutinous sometimes. Our crew is very open and they release their feelings towards me and often the emotions are not even about me, they're about some emotional turmoil during their childhood. B'Elanna told me the other day that I was a mother figure to her. That statement of B'Elanna's shocked me. I always knew that on our ship I could be seen as a mother figure for the crew, but to actually hear it from someone, one of my main officers, made me realize that I'm more of a role model than I thought. I have children, my crew, they're not actually mine, but over the last five years in the Delta Quadrant they've become my children and now I really feel like I want my own children. I know we haven't discussed children, but I always thought you'd want to have children, and I think that you would be an absolutely fabulous father. I'm sorry I mentioned having children before we discussed it; it was a mistake and I'm sorry, but hear this we would make wonderful parents and our relationship will last forever, I can just feel it." said Katie taking Chakotay's hands in her own.

"B'Elanna called you a mother figure, that's a huge emotional step for her. Don't underestimate me, Kathryn, I've always wanted to have children, you just startled me when you mentioned us having children a moment ago. Don't worry about that topic of having children, it's my greatest wish to have children of my own, that weren't made from my stolen sperm. So, listen, the wedding, we have a lot of decisions to make about this. But, remember have fun when you're planning the wedding, it's a happy time." said Chakotay as Kathryn laid her head next to his.

"I know, but I'm not going to start all that planning now. We need to go back to the bridge, but this time we're going to walk in hand in hand and confirm everyone's long held suspicions. Our bridge crew won't be shocked, but I know the Doctor will be upset, he always included me in his erotic fantasies, and now he won't be able to." said Kathryn sliding out of the bed, and going to put her uniform on.

"It isn't a question of whether he'll be able to, but whether he's willing to lose you. I know I wouldn't be willing to let you go." said Chakotay going over to Kathryn and putting his hands on her shoulders.

"I know I can't stop his dreams or daydreams, but I'm worried that the news will shock him so badly that he won't be able to cope with losing the possibility of having a relationship with me. And if I don't have a doctor that will take orders from me, this ship and me will be in jeopardy and I will not allow that to happen. I will just have to break it to him gently and hope he's okay. I think I'll go down to sick bay now; are you coming?" asked Kathryn secretly worried about telling the doctor, after all there's only one person a captain can tell everything to, and it isn't their first officer.

"Sure, I'll come with you to sick bay, after all I can't send you into the lion's den by yourself." said Chakotay quickly slipping into his uniform.

"Just one thing though, I'll go into the office, alone. He's much less likely to injure me than you. He loves me, you, however, are dispensable." explained Kathryn, trying to justify what she was about to do.


	6. Not So Subtle Seduction

So down to sick bay the two lovers went, to confront a friend. The Doctor's booming voice met them at the door with, "Hello, what can I do for you?"

With a sigh Kathryn spoke up saying, "We need to talk privately. It's important."

"Of course, if you need to talk, we will talk. My office would be best." said the Doctor motioning towards the door to his office. Any opportunity to be alone with the unimaginably beautiful Kathryn Janeway was a little piece of heaven.

"Good luck, Captain." said Chakotay; nothing more, nothing less, lest he should give the secret away.

The Doctor and the Captain walked into the spacious office and Kathryn sealed the door and darkened the windows which comprised the Doctor's office. "What did you do that for?" the Doctor demanded.

"Oh, darkening the windows and sealing the door, just a precaution in case things get steamy in here. I don't want anyone to be able to see into your office." said Kathryn putting the Doctor in a pleasant frame of mind.

"Is it hot in here?" the Doctor asked peeling off his uniform blue and black sweater. His imagination was working overtime with the statement of Kathryn's about things getting steamy. It was all he could do to keep himself from leaping on top of her and going at her like an all you can eat buffet.

"Yes, it is rather warm," said Kathryn peeling off her red and black uniform sweater that confined her to ranks. The two were so close they could feel the warmth coming off each other. Kathryn slid her hands up the Doctor's defined chest and up his muscular arms to his face. She ran her hands over his rough, unshaven face. "That old wound I have is acting up again." she said leading him on.

The Doctor gulped. This was almost the exact daydream he had, that the Captain had seen. "Right," he said clearing his throat, "where was that?"

The Captain took the Doctor's hand and ran it down her back to her butt and clenched her hand, which clenched the Doc's hand, which clenched her butt. The Doctor gasped at actually being allowed to touch the real specimen rather than just in his daydreams. Kathryn had swept the Doctor off his feet and he picked Kathryn up and sat her on his desk. He put his arms around her waist and looked into her eyes and said, "How can this be happening?"

"I only want you to be happy, Doctor, you know that. And it is time for us to become better acquainted." said Kathryn sliding off the desk and pulling off the Doctor's pale grey-blue turtleneck, that most crew members wear under their uniform, revealing the defined chest and abs of the Doctor, who gasped as his body was revealed to the one he loved. Kathryn smiled and pulled her long, painted, red nails down the Doctor's chest, causing a rattling, excitatory breath to escape from the Doctor. Suddenly he could wait no more and he reached out and brought Kathryn towards him and engulfed her in a kiss that took him to the edge of reason and logic. The Doctor desired more than anything to pull or tear Kathryn's blue-grey top off of her and show him her true self, not that he hadn't seen that in physicals, daydreams, and medical procedures, but this was different. The Doctor was seeing the Captain in a sexual, non-daydream way for the first time. He slipped his arm around Kathryn's waist and started untucking the tank top that draped over her every curve. Kathryn didn't resist and, in fact, she lifted her arms in order to allow the Doctor to lift her shirt more easily. As the Doctor looked upon Kathryn his heart melted and he realized how terribly lonely she'd been over the past five years.

He put his hands on her petite, white, and smooth waist and looked deep into her soft, green eyes. "May I continue?" gulped the Doctor, worried that it was all just a dream and all in the game.

"Yes," said Kathryn nodding and turning around to allow the Doctor to unclasp her black, satin, beaded, non-regulation bra. She tried to quash her anxiety over the plan she'd come up with.

"No, don't do that," said the Doctor turning Kathryn around, placing her hands on his shoulders, reaching his strong arms around her back, and unclasping her bra, which was discarded to the Doctor's chair. Both people's libido had kicked in and in a rush of passion they started making out. The Doctor's kisses dropped from her luscious lips to her tantalizing neck to her full, well-rounded sumptuous breasts. As the heat and passion rose Kathryn reached out and unbuttoned and unzipped the Doctor's pants and as the black dress pants fell they pooled around the Doctor's ankles. His boxers, it was revealed, had picture of the Captain on them encompassed by hearts.

"Wow, you're amazing. I have a feeling you've done this before because tongue movement that amazing only comes with practice. Doctor, if this keeps going we're going to have to find a place to do the deed, especially since I truly want to have sex with you." said Kathryn running her hands up the Doctor's thighs.

"I certainly don't have as much experience as I'm sure you've got, I have to give you more credit than you gave me. I can't believe my greatest dream is coming true. I never thought this day would come." said the Doctor cupping Kathryn's face and kissing it.

"Well, it has come, and it was always going to happen, because I have always been attracted to you. You're intelligent and are able to talk about literature through the ages; there aren't many people who can talk about all types of literature and actually enjoy it." said Kathryn stepping behind the Doctor and massaging his back to relax him.

"But you always seemed so impartial to me, so I always thought this situation was impossible for me to achieve. I daydreamed about being with you because I didn't think I had a hope of ever really being with you. I always thought you just put up with me." said The Doctor voicing all his fears.

"If I hadn't been seen to be completely impartial do you know how I would have been berated and torn down? As Captain my relationship choices are rather limited. I have to date someone of equal or higher rank, on this mission that leaves one person. Other than that there's dalliances with passing alien life forms, highly unlikely, it only happened once, or holograms, and after my encounter with Michael Sullivan that won't happen often. But, I stopped looking at you as a hologram years ago, and since you're the only one on the ship I could have a relationship with without coming under scrutiny, it seemed only natural." said the Captain spilling her feelings.

"What about Commander Chakotay? I'm sure no one would scrutinize you, in that case. You're together all the time and on every away mission." said the Doctor. Kathryn could have a life outside of work, if she looked for one.

"He's different though. My relationship would be based purely on chemistry, which doesn't include compatibility or logic, both of which are needed in relationships. You're simply a healthier, more accurate view of my feelings." said Kathryn trying desperately to keep the conversation going.

"You're engaged to him, aren't you? Commander Chakotay, I mean. Why didn't you tell me before, instead of going through all this rigmarole, to let me down easily? That's absolutely ridiculous. It's not necessary. But, tell me are you engaged to the Commander?" asked the Doctor putting on his "nothing effects me" act.

"Yes, I am." said the Captain and she paused before she answered the other questions, so that the Doctor could regain his composure. This never happened.

"No, Captain, why are you abandoning me? It's not fair; you said I was the right person for you, you lied! You betrayed me! You allowed me to believe that you really cared and would only be having sex with me for that reason! I hate swearing, but you're an unfeeling bitch, Kathryn! I can't believe you played with my emotions that way! That was really wrong, and this was done by someone with morals. I don't even want to imagine what a person without morals would do." said the Doctor dropping to his knees, putting his hands on his head and sobbing.

"I'm not abandoning you, we'll always be friends, but we can't be what you want us to be; we can't be a couple. You are the right person for me, but in a different capacity than a boyfriend, you're more like the best guy friend that could have been more if he'd acted. I do care, I've cared for a long time, but I can't care for you the way you want me to. You need to move on, there are lots of women on this ship who look up to you, and that includes me. I've always looked up to you. I actually wanted to be a Starfleet doctor, not a Captain, but when I arrived they were phasing in the Emergency Medical Holograms, and I had missed my chance." said Kathryn kneeling on the floor, lifting the Doctor's head, looking into his eyes and drying his face.

"Really? I think you would have made an excellent doctor, but maybe not a psychologist. You handled that situation in the totally wrong manner. You exploited my feelings, so that maybe I might go easy on you and it back fired. The idea was clever; however, you knew I would react in that way to that situation. In some cases having the person you love see your daydream isn't necessarily a good thing." said the Doctor as Kathryn walked nervously around the room, picking up her clothing. As she stood behind the Doctor's chair she put her bra back on, and found that she couldn't do up the clasp on it. Eventually she gave up and reached for her tank top. "Here let me help you with that." said the Doctor stepping in behind Kathryn and clasping her bra.

"So, you're not mad at me?" Kathryn asked. She was shocked that she wasn't being blamed for her bad behaviour and hoping that there wouldn't be any violence towards Chakotay.

"No, I'm upset, but I could never be mad at you for trying to fulfill one of my dreams. I still like you as a friend that will never change. I shall always enjoy having you around as someone who I can always talk to and depend on." said the Doctor giving Kathryn a hug. "And now I need to go congratulate your fiancé, he's the luckiest man on this ship."

"Wait, first of all, you can't walk out of this room without a shirt on, and neither can I, and second of all, promise me you won't hurt him." said Kathryn pulling on her tank top and sweater and tucking in the former.

"Of course I won't hurt the Commander, you love him and that is reason enough not to hurt him. Besides, I wouldn't be showing my Captain that I have very good judgement under pressure, now would I and that is my goal, to be able to help you under pressure." said the Doctor putting his clothes back on and hurriedly tucking them in. "Shall we?" he asked as he offered his arm to Kathryn.

They walked out of the office and Kathryn ran into the awaiting arms of Chakotay, where she received a kiss, confirming the claims she had made in the meeting. "Did things go all right in there?" Chakotay asked placing his hands possessively on Katie's shoulders.

"Things went fine. He was a gentleman the entire time. There was at no time anything he did that made me question his intentions. The Doctor is amazing, he's very supportive of our relationship and he has something to tell you." said Kathryn picking up Chakotay's hand.

"I just wanted to say congratulations, you won yourself a wonderful woman and she deserves the best of the best relationship and she has finally found that with you, I hope, Commander. Kathryn's an amazing woman, but I'm sure I don't need to tell you that. She's been talking to me about your relationship, it sounds like you've had an amazing time the past two years. I'm surprised you haven't said anything to the crew. Kathryn could have been claimed by anyone else that is a part of this crew." said the Doctor being serious about the relationship for the first time.

"I hope Kathryn hasn't been telling you all the horny details. She's more experienced than she lets on in her innocent Captain routine; she's naughty and bad and she knows how I like things." said Chakotay squeezing Kathryn's waist and kissing the top of her head.

"She didn't tell me anything of the sort. Kathryn's honourable; she keeps whatever happens in the bedroom, in the bedroom. She knows how to separate her job and her love life and it seems as if she's better at it than we thought considering you've kept this quiet for two years. I think you've been very considerate towards the crew in not exciting them." said the Doctor taking Kathryn's hand.

"Well, Katie, I suppose we should get back to the bridge. We still have to finish a shift and tell the crew about our excellent decision to get married." said Chakotay taking her hands and turning to leave.

"Katie, well, well, well, this relationship has certainly progressed. It went from Captain, to Kathryn, to Katie in a matter of what, two years. That's quite an accomplishment. I always thought you were more of a Katie than a Kathryn. I hope that I've always treated you as a Katie and I truly hope this relationship works despite the fact that I still love you, Katie. Nothing between us will change, I hope Commander. But don't let me keep you, there's many things that need to be done on the bridge, I'm sure." said the Doctor smiling at Kathryn.

"Of course nothing has changed in our relationship, Doctor. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have work to do." said Chakotay turning and walking out the door.

Kathryn and Chakotay walked down the hall hand in hand and Chakotay lifted up her hand and kissed it. Walking down the hall that way got them stares, whistles and, hoots and hollers; although Kathryn blushed and was shocked at her crew's behaviour, she was proud that she was finally being noticed the way she wanted to be noticed. Kathryn smiled with joy as she thought of her new found status that always comes with a new permanent, publicly recognized relationship.


	7. Back to Work

Kathryn walked onto the bridge with her head held high, wondering what the reaction of her crew would be when she made her announcement about her permanent relationship with Commander Chakotay. She walked down the stairs, hand in hand with Chakotay, and took her seat on the bridge.

"Well, what's all this? What's going on, Captain? Is there something you need to make us aware of? You seem extremely happy about something and I think I know what it is, but I'm not sure and I'm positive the rest of your bridge crew would like to know what's going on." said Ensign Tom Paris saying what everyone else was thinking.

"First of all I think you should all sit down, this info may shock you and second of all do you think I would be as presumptuous as to waltz onto the bridge holding someone's hand and then not explain myself? All right, here goes, um." Kathryn spit all this out in one breath and then found she'd run out of words.

"Should I do this announcement instead, Katie?" Chakotay asked trying to refocus Katie's thoughts.

"Yes, please, and by the way I only meant for you to call me that in private." said Katie squeezing Chakotay's hand in appreciation rather than opting for a more obvious demonstrative display of affection.

"Okay, Well, as Kathryn said this may shock some of you, but then again maybe it won't. Um, well, there's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it: Kathryn and I are engaged to be married. So no more flirting gentlemen, she's all mine now." said Chakotay laughing.

"Congratulations, Captain, you deserve all the happiness and you've snagged yourself a fantastic, well-behaved man." said Tom.

"Well I don't think I can take all the credit. Chakotay approached me not I him. I only said yes, I wasn't bold enough to go up and ask him out. He was simply kind enough to bestow his good opinion upon me. It's been a perfectly wonderful two years and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the known universe." said Kathryn blushing throughout her speech.

"Two years! You never said it was that long and I don't think I've ever seen you blush, you must really be in love, because you don't show your emotions often." said Tom giving the Captain a hug.

"Hey, hey, back off, you. She didn't give you permission to do that and neither did I. I do think that hugs and handshakes all around are in order." said Chakotay separating Tom and Kathryn with one hand.

"Okay, listen up crew, I will announce this myself to the rest of our crew, so please don't say anything until I do. Thank you, everyone back to work, we'll have a celebration later tonight. By the way, thank you for your support in this relationship, I really needed your backing." said Kathryn initiating her Captain's stance.


	8. I Can't Stand It!

Suddenly the Doctor burst onto the bridge and cried, "I can't take it anymore! Captain may I speak to you in private?"

"Of course. Chakotay, you have the bridge. After you, Doctor." said Kathryn hesitant to go with him.

"Katie, are you sure you don't want me to come with you, after all anything could happen." said Chakotay grasping her arm.

"I told you not to call me that in front of our crew, and if you're that worried tap into the room, using the communication system, and listen in." said Kathryn pulling away.

"Is that what you would do?"

"Yes, it is. I'm sorry about my thing about being called Katie, use it whenever you want, and I'm sorry I pulled away from you just now. I'm not used to public displays of affection just yet." said Kathryn cupping Chakotay's face between her hands, and walking into her ready room/

"Kathryn," the Doctor cried, "this can't be what you want. He's wrong for you, what we have is very right. I need you in my life and in my love life. You belong with me, not Commander Chakotay. I love you, he just looks at you as another pretty face for him to enjoy."

"How dare you insinuate such a thing, Chakotay loves me for me, not for my beauty. We respect each other for who we are, not for what we look like. He's exactly the perfect guy for me. What you and I have or had is wrong. This is my one big chance for true happiness in life, when I get back to Indiana all there is there are country boys. Chakotay is the one man that knows me inside and out, that's rare nowadays, that's the type of man I need to be with for the rest of my life. You're jeopardizing my chances with Chakotay by carrying on this silly escapade." cried Kathryn lashing out at the Doctor.

Outside, on the bridge, Chakotay was watching and listening to the conversation and got more and more shocked as he heard the words out of the Doctor's mouth. When Kathryn started explaining her last statements he leapt from his chair and walked towards Kathryn's ready room to help support her.

He rushed into the ready room and said to the Doctor, "You better back off of Katie, right now Doctor or else you and I are going to have to come to blows over this beautiful woman. You do not have the right to accost this woman on account of your feelings towards her. This needs to stop, she's getting married and not to you, but to me, and that scares the hell out of you. You think that as she becomes more involved with me, she'll forget about the good friend she has in you, but I tell you that that won't happen, the Captain respects your friendship and she won't give that up any time soon."

"I can't believe you even suggested that I'm accosting you fiancée. I love her, I don't want to harm her, and I want to love her. I'm not scared about losing her, I'm worried about how she will be treated: as a wife, or as another piece of ass that you were just allowed to pick up. She's special and I better see you treating her really special, or else." said the Doctor challenging Commander Chakotay's motives in the relationship.

"Stop, stop you two. There's no point in the two of you arguing over me, I've already made my choice and the fact that you, my friend the Doctor are still not aware of that shocks me. You're supposed to be intelligent, but instead you're being stubborn and arrogant and I can't stand you right now. Out, out, get out of my ready room now!" said the Captain shocked at her two crew members.

The Doctor retreated quickly from the room, muttering under his breath about how he was trying to save the Captain from a terrible fate in the relationship. Kathryn couldn't contain her sadness at the fact she'd had to be so harsh any longer and burst into tears. "Oh, Kathryn. It's all right, his contempt for me and you won't last long and then everything will be back to normal." said Chakotay putting his arms around Kathryn.

"Hey, you're not exactly in my good books either, you practically attacked him and even though you were trying to protect me I can't abide the fact that you were completely rude to the Doctor. There's no excuse for it and you'll have to apologize for your bad behaviour. If you don't, I'll have to suspend you from duty, I can't have adversaries working together on the ship and you know that as well as I do. We need to maintain Starfleet standards, even if we are in the middle of the Delta Quadrant." said Katie risking a fight to maintain Voyager's discipline.

"But, but Katie that's not fair I was already suspended this month, and that time I wasn't trying to protect your honour. I can't apologize to someone who is trying to destroy the foundation of our relationship and our life. I absolutely refuse to apologize to the Doctor." cried Chakotay protesting against his treatment.

"If I give you preferential treatment, the rest of the crew will think the only way to get on my good side is to be my boyfriend or fiancé. So, if you're going to be like that, you are hereby suspended from duty, until such time as you see fit to apologize to the Doctor in my presence. Do you understand the terms of your suspension?" Katie asked pulling rank and using her very best Captain's tone.

"Yes, ma'am, I understand. Don't be surprised if you spend tonight on the couch." said Chakotay smirking.

"First of all we're living in my cabin, because it's larger, and therefore you'd be sleeping on the couch, but I'm not that mean, and second of all you know that I have to do this in order to maintain control. Third of all I've spent the past five years sleeping by myself, don't think I can't handle it for a night or two." said Katie defending herself.

"I know you had to, Katie, you just surprised me when you actually initiated the suspension. So, even though I would like for you to sleep on the couch tonight, I'm not going to be that cruel. I'll meet you in our cabin after your shift." said Chakotay kissing Katie's hand and leaving.


	9. I Hate Men!

Katie returned to the bridge expecting to be there for at least another four hours when Seven came bursting onto the bridge and cried, "Men are lying, cheating rats and I hate them all! They're all evil!"

"Come on, Seven; let's go to my ready room and talk. This isn't like you to be emotional over a man, usually you're so level-headed in that department." said the Captain putting her arm around Seven's shoulders and led her to her ready room. Seven burst into tears as she thought about the incident that brought her to her revelation about men. "There now, Seven, tell me what happened." said Kathryn giving Seven a hug.

"I went to have lunch with Harry and he told me I wasn't putting my all into our relationship and that it no longer had the magic and sparkle it once did. He's just being cynical; he's not looking at the relationship objectively. I hate him, he's driving me crazy. Love isn't supposed to be like this!" Seven cried into the Captain's shoulder.

"No, this is exactly what love is like. There has to be a little bit of pain in order to appreciate the person you're with, in order to see the good in your relationship. I had to do that in my relationship, which I forgot to tell you about, Commander Chakotay and I are engaged to be married, and I had to fight with him, and for him and it brought us closer together. Don't worry this will make your relationship stronger, Seven." said Kathryn sitting down on the couch.


	10. Not Another Dustup

"Red alert, Captain Janeway report to the bridge." said Lieutenant Commander Tuvok.

"Report." said Kathryn taking her place among her crew. Sitting down in the Captain's chair waiting for an attack of an unknown species wanting to board her ship she took a deep breath and waited for the bad news that she knew she was about to receive.

"An unknown ship, similar to Voyager with shields up and weapons powered entered our range about five minutes ago; we tried to hail them with no response. The ship fired once and missed. Our shields are up and our phaser banks and photon torpedoes are charged and ready, Captain." said Ensign Harry Kin classifying the hostile ship and the status on Voyager.

"Hail them again, Tuvok, I'll try everything before I fire on a ship." Kathryn Janeway was in her element, when all of a sudden the ship was rocked with a weapon from the opposing ship, and the Captain was shaken from her chair. Just as she stood up the ship was hit again and Kathryn was thrown down the stairs. "Fire phasers, full spread, Tuvok!"

As soon as the smaller ship was fired upon, Voyager was hailed. "I am Maj Kullah, why are you firing on my Kazon Nistrom ship?"

"I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager, and I was defending my crew from your Kazon Nistrom attack, Maj Kullah." Katie voiced this using her most authoritative tone.

"You are in Kazon Nistrom space, woman, you must leave now, or you will be destroyed. How dare you as a woman be in my space. Goodbye Captain, if you aren't out of our space in forty-eight hours, you won't see the next twenty-four."


End file.
